Twice recently, I’ve booked a ticket, put it on hold, and then called AA to pay for it with a flight credit that couldn’t be used online (or maybe a trip credit).

The fare that I’ve paid has been much, much higher than the fare that I placed on hold online.

Most recently, a ticket I placed on hold was $423. But I just noticed that the price that I was charged (as shown on the emailed receipt) when I paid for it by phone, using a flight or trip credit, was $929. (On the AA app, the flight is currently on sale for $467.)

Previously, the price on hold for another ticket was about $300 but I was charged over $600 by the phone agent.

The first time, the phone agent mentioned that the price was over $600, but the most recent time, I am quite certain that the fare was not quoted to me on the phone.

Why does AA do this: charging more by phone when you’re paying for a ticket on hold? Does using a flight credit cause this?

The fare charged was so much higher than the price on hold that this seems unconscionable.

Thanks.